Artificial respirator



May 6, 1941. K. w. BINDING ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATQR Filed Dec. 26, 1939 Wank? Z9? Patented May 6, 1941 ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATOR Kenneth W. Binding, Medford, Mass., assignor to John H. Emerson, Cambridge, Mass.

Application December 26, 1939, Serial No. 311,026

3 Claims. (01. 128- 30) This invention relates to artificial respirators for stimulating breathing of persons sufiering from drowning, sufiocation, infantile paralysis, etc., and more particularly to a respirator embodying a mucous aspirator.

The artificial respirator to which this invention relates comprises a substantially air-tight casing which encloses the chest of the patient, leaving at least his nose and mouth exposed to the atmosphere. Alternate negative and atmospheric or positive pressures are created within the casing in time with the normal respiration periods of the patient. Each negative pressure period causes the patients chest and lungs to expand and air is automatically drawn into his lungs through his nose and mouth, thereby causing an inhalation. Each atmospheric or positive pressure period causes the patients chest to collapse forcing the air in his lungs to be expelled through his nose and mouth and thus an exhalation results.

The size of the casing may vary, for example it may be large enough to enclose a patients entire body with the exception of his head, as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,834,580 and No. 2,060,706, or it may be large enough to enclose only his chest.

The pressure variations within the respirator may vary from twelve to sixty per minute, depending upon the normal rate of respiration of the patient and also upon the affliction for which he is being treated. The usual degree of negative pressure during each negative pressure period for an average patient is from five to fifteen centimeters of water. Usually the pressure is alternated from negative to atmospheric, but in cases Where there is a lack of tone in the chest muscles the pressure is alternated from negative to positive.

A patient who is unable to breathe of his own accord is frequently so weak that he can not himself expectorate the fluids such as mucous, saliva and the like, which collect in his throat, and it is necessary to remove such fluids so that the respirator may function to maintain a flow of air to and from his lungs. Use of a mucous aspirator which creates a continuous suction at the entrance of the aspirator tube has been found undesirable because it operates to take in air as the air is passing to the patients lungs during inhalation, thereby reducing .the amount of air transmitted to the lungs and also greatly annoying many patients who are ordinarily in a nervous condition due to treatment by the resiprator and their generally weakened state.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a respirator embodying a mucous aspirator which operates to remove fluid from the patients throat during periods of exhalation only.

Further objects are to provide such an aspirator which is operated by the respirator pressure alternating means and also which may be readily adjusted frominoperative poistion to various operative positions.

Other objects relate to the construction and mode of operation, and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing which exemplify one embodiment of my invention chosen for the purposes of illustration.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an artificial respirator embodyi my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the aspirator with parts broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the aspirator of Fig. 2 with parts broken away and with the dot-dash lines showing the aspirator adjusted to inoperative position.

The respirator illustrated comprises four legs [0 on which is mounted the substantially airtight respirator casing II which forms an enclosure for the patients body up to his neck. The patient reclines upon a horizontal bed (not shown) within the casing ll, and his neck extends through a restricted orifice in the end l2 of said casing, his head resting upon the head rest l3. A collapsible diaphragm or bellows l4 made of leather or other suitable flexible material forms the outer end of the casing II. The diaphragm I4 is operated by an operating arm l5 which has its upper end pivotally secured at [B to the rigid diaphragm extension I1, and its lower end pivotally secured at l8 to a connecting rod I9. Intermediate its ends the operating arm I5 is provided with a pair of spaced lugs 20 and 2| each of which is provided with a transverse annular hole adapted to freely receive the fulcrum bolt 22. A fulcrum arm 23 has its upper end secured to the bottom of the respirator casing II. The lower end of the arm 23 is provided with an enlarged portion 24 which has a horizontal annular passage adapted to freely receive the fulcrum bolt 22. The fulcrum bolt 22 extends through the hole of the lug 20, the horizontal passage in the enlarged lower end portion 24 of the fulcrum arm 23 and the hole in the other lug 2|; one end of the fulcrum bolt is provided with a head 25 (Fig. 2) and the other end is screw threaded exteriorly and receives the nut 26 (Fig. 3).

The operating arm I5 is reciprocated back and forth about the fulcrum bolt 22 by any suitable means (not shown) associated with the connecting rod I9 and such reciprocation causes the dia- I I as the operating arm I 5 is moved in a counter-.

clockwise direction (looking at Fig. 1) the diaphragm I4 moves toward or within the adjacent end of the casing II thereby creating .either. atmospheric or positive pressure within there ciprocator casing. When the arm I5 is subsequently moved in a clockwise direction returning the diaphragm to the position shown in.Fig.. 1, negative pressure is again created in the respira tor casing. The arm [5 is continuously reciprocated about itsfulcrum 22 in this manner; thereby creating alternate periods of negative and atmospheric or positive pressures within the respirator casing in time with normal breathing periods of the patient.

A metallic aspirator suspension member 36 has its upper end secured to the respirator casing II and is provided adjacent itslower end with a transverse hole adapted to freely receive the horizontal bolt 3| (Figs. 2 and 3). The substantially air-tight aspirator chamber 32'has secured to one end a member 33 which is provided with parallel spaced arms 34 and 35, each of which has a transverse hole large enough to freely receive the bolt 3i. The bolt 3I pivotally secures the member 33' to the suspension member30. and passes through the hole in the arm 34, the hole in the member 36 and the hole in the arm it is secured in said position'by an enlarged head on one-end and aunt 36 on the other end. a The aspirator piston consistsof a piston rod- 40 and piston head 4I secured to one end ofsaid rod bythe nuts 42 (Fig. 2), the piston rod passing through a transverse hole in-the center of the end'43 of the aspirator casing 32-. I

A tubular resilient rubber dirt guard 44 surrounds the piston rod adjacent the end- 43 ofthe aspirator casing to protect the piston rodfrom any accumulation of dirt or dust which would cause friction between the piston rod andthe periphery of the hole in the end 43 of the aspirator casing through which the rod passes, The guard fi l-"is shown in contracted position in- Fig. 1 and expanded'position in Figs-2 and- 3.

A rectangular extension member 45- has its upper endintegral with the'lug 2I of the operating arm I5. A slide 46 is provided with flanges 41 which fit loosely about the mem-ber45- so that the slide 46 is slidable verticallyof the member 45. The slide is provided at one sidewlth a' that the catch 46 releasably holds 'theslide 46 in any desired vertical position-relative to the member- 45. A cylindrical lug 5ll ex'tends out-- wardly from the slide 46 and is firmly secured thereto. 'The lug 56 passes-freely through a transverse passage 51 (Fig. 3:) in. the pistonrod 4.0 .andthepiston rod is 'pivotallysecured tothe lug by a cotter pin 52 which passes through a transverse hole in the lug 50.

When the slide 46 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 reciprocation of the operating arm I5 about the fulcrum bolt 22 causes corresponding reciprocation of the piston rod 46, since the piston rod is connected by the slide 46 to the member 45 which in turn is secured to the rod I5 and continuously reciprocates therewith. When the slide 46 is elevated to the dot-dash position of Fig. 3, however, the lug 56 is in direct horizontal line with the end of the fulcrum bolt 22 and consequently reciprocation of the arm I5 and member 45 causes no movement of the piston 40. When the slide 46 is elevated or lowered the aspirator chamber moves pivotally about the bolt 3|. The

lengthof stroke of the piston rod 46 may be controlled by various adjustments of the slide 46 along the member 45.

A hole 55 (Fig. 2) in the aspirator chamber 32 provides communication between the atmosphe're and the interior of. the aspirator chamber on one side of the piston head 4|. A flap valve 66 (Figs. land 2) .closesan orifice (not shown) which is provided at the top of and adjacent the outer end ofthe pipe 6I thereby communicating with the interior of the aspirator chamber 32. This valve consists of a movable horizontal flap member 62 which is hinged at 63. When positive pressure is created in the aspirator chamber 32 the flap member 62 moves upwardlyabout the hinge 63 thus opening the valve and releasing the positive pressure. When atmospheric or negative pressures are created in the casing 32 the valve 62 closes and remains closed. v

An aspirator tube 65 (Fig. 1) made of flexible rubber is provided with an aperture 66 adjacent its free'end and the free end is adapted to extend into the patients throat where the aperture receives fluids transmitting them to the interior of the tube. The interior of the aspirator tube communicates with the aspirator chamber 32 by means of the deposit jar 69 (Fig. 1) and the extension 6'! (Fig, 2) on the pipe 6|.

In operation the slide 46 is adjusted upon the member 45 to provide the desired stroke of the piston 46. The end of the aspirator tube 65 is then adjusted in the patients throat. The respirator is then placed in operation by reciprocation of the rod I9 which causes reciprocation of the operating arm I5 and creates alternate negative and atmospheric or positive pressures in the respirator casing I I, thus causing the patient to inhale and exhale. On each positive or atmospheric pressure stroke of the diaphragm I4 the piston plunger 4| is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, creating negative pressure in the aspirator chamber 32. This negative pressure is transmitted through the pipe BI and extension 61 into the adjacent portion of the aspirator tube 65, thence into the deposit jar 69 and thence into the other portion of the aspirator tube 65 and-mucous or other fluid is drawn from the patients throat through the hole 66 and deposited in the jar 69. On each negative pressure stroke of the diaphragm I4 the piston plunger 4I is moved toward the member 33 creating positive pressure in the aspirator chamber; the

positive pressure is immediately released. by the or atmospheric pressures are created in the respirator casing negative pressure is created at the hole 66 of the aspirator tube 65 and mucous or other fluid is removed from the patients throat during each period of exhalation.

To make the aspirator inoperative the slide 46 is elevated to its uppermost position.

The respirator and the associated aspirator may be operated manually by means of the handle which may be used for manual reciprocation of the operating arm I5.

The aspirator may also be operated by a suitable connection between the piston rod 40 and the connecting rod I9 or by other suitable connections and devices other than those illustrated may be used to create the pressure variations in the respirator chamber and in the aspirator chamber, but the aspirator must operate in timed relation to the means for alternating pressures in the respirator.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of i1- lustration and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts and the substitution of equivalent elements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing artificial respiration comprising a substantially air-tight respirator casing to receive the patients chest, means for producing alternate negative and atmospheric or positive pressures within said respirator casing and a mucous aspirator comprising a tube having an aperture adjacent one end adapted to receive the mucous fluid from the patients throat and means communicating with the interior of said tube and connected to said respirator pressure alternating means and adaptedto produce negative pressure in said aspirator tube only during atmospheric or positive pressure periods in said respirator casing.

2. Apparatus for producing artificial respiration comprising a substantially air-tight respirator casing to receive the patients chest, respirator pressure alternating means communicating with said respirator casing and adapted to produce alternate negative and atmospheric or positive pressures within said respirator casing,

a substantially air-tight aspirator chamber, an aspirator piston adapted to reciprocate relative to said aspirator chamber, a mucous aspirator tube having its interior communicating with said aspirator chamber and an aperture provided adjacent one end to receive the mucous fluid from the patients throat, and an operating arm secured tosaid respirator pressure alternating means and to said aspirator piston, said operating arm upon actuation in one direction causing said aspirator piston to move in a direction which creates negative pressure in said aspirator chamber and tube and upon actuation in the other direction causing said aspirator piston to move in a direction creating atmospheric pressure in said aspirator chamber and tube; said negative pressure being created in said aspirator tube only during atmospheric or positive pressure periods in said respirator casing.

3. Apparatus for producing artificial respiration comprising a substantially air-tight respirator casing to receive the patients chest, respirator pressure alternating means communicating with said respirator casing and adapted to produce alternate negative and atmospheric or positive pressures within said respirator casing, a substantially air-tight aspirator chamber, an aspirator piston adapted to reciprocate relative to said aspirator chamber, a mucous aspirator tube having its interior communicating with said aspirator chamber and an aperture provided adjacent one end to receive the mucous fluid from the patients throat, an operating arm having one end secured to said respirator pressure alternating means, a fulcrum engaging said operating arm intermediate its ends and a connecting member connected to said aspirator piston and to said operating arm, said connecting member being releasably movable from a position wherein the conneotion between the said aspirator piston and said operating arm coincides with said fulcrum to a position wherein said connection is spaced from said fulcrum whereby reciprocation of said operating am about said fulcrum causes no reciprocation of said aspirator piston when said connecting member is in said first position but causes reciprocation of said aspirator piston when said connecting member is in said latter position.

KENNETH W. BINDING. 

